Wikileaks - DCCXI
103627 4/9/2007 5:06 07ANKARA804 Embassy Ankara UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY VZCZCXRO8150 RR RUEHDA DE RUEHAK #0804/01 0990506 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 090506Z APR 07 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1616 INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 7957 RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU 1478 RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 0094 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 4225 RUEHBM/AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST 0975 RUEHCH/AMEMBASSY CHISINAU 0460 RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV 0015 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 5533 RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA 1138 RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI 3093 RUEHTI/AMEMBASSY TIRANA 0264 RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN 1276 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2478 RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1831 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 5367 UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000804
SIPDIS
SIPDIS SENSITIVE
PARIS FOR USOECD
E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL, SENV, KCRM, TU SUBJECT: TURKEY PLANS ITS BSEC SUMMIT BIRTHDAY PARTY
A) STATE 40938 B) ANKARA 367 C) ANKARA 58
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Turkish MFA held a meeting with Embassies April 4 to describe its planning for the June 25 BSEC (Black Sea Economic Cooperation) Summit meeting of heads of state and government. Turkey aims to use its chairmanship to revitalize BSEC as it commemorates its 15th anniversary at the Istanbul Summit. Embassy recommends that the Department send a senior official to represent Secretary Rice, who has regretted. Both BSEC and Turkey support a U.S. proposal for a symposium on environmental protection, targeted for September or July, as a way to contribute as a new observer. End Summary.
-----------------------------
Turkey's BSEC Summit Roll-Out
-----------------------------
2. (SBU) Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deputy Director General Multilateral Affairs Ahmet Asim Arar and BSEC Summit Coordinator Cetiner Karahan presented MFA's plans for the June 25 BSEC Summit in Istanbul to Ankara based representatives of members and observers. They noted that this will be one of the flagship activities under the Turkish BSEC Chairmanship that begins May 1. BSEC Deputy Secretary General Murat Sungar also attended the April 4 meeting. Here is the scenario under planning for events in Istanbul:
-June 23-24: Committee of Senior Officials meetings - Conrad Hotel
-June 25: Morning - Special meeting of Foreign Ministers - Ciragan Palace
Luncheon for Ministers and Heads of State hosted by the GOT PM - Ciragan Palace
Afternoon - Summit Conference - Ciragan
Evening - Summit Dinner hosted by the GOT President - Dolmabahce Palace, followed by Bosphorus cruise
-June 26: Separate CERA-TEMA organized "East Meets West" Energy Conference
3. (SBU) Turkey has invited heads of state from members and foreign ministers from observers. Embassy recommends that the Department send a senior official to represent Secretary Rice in recognition of the USG's new observer status and our interest in using that status to contribute to revitalizing BSEC during Turkey's Chairmanship. This would boost this organization aimed at fostering economic linkages and cooperation in this challenging region. By helping Turkey build common ground during its chairmanship, we can help pull BSEC more together and towards the Atlantic. (Note: We have conveyed Secretary Rice's regrets with intention to send a senior State Department official per Ref A.) Observers' Ministers or his/her representative can attend all the events on June 25. The expenses of the Minister or representative will be covered by BSEC.
--------------------------------------------- --- U.S. Proposed Environment Symposium - Next Steps
--------------------------------------------- ---
4. (SBU) DDG Arar and BSEC Deputy Sungar confirmed that the U.S. proposed Environmental Protection for Economic Growth Symposium was favorably received by the Environment Working Group in March in Belgrade, noting that it was now being circulated for comments. They agreed with the U.S. proposal that the symposium be scheduled before or after a meeting of the Environment Working Group to save travel expenses. While the next scheduled working group meeting is in September, they said that it might be possible to schedule a
ANKARA 00000804 002 OF 002
special session in July, potentially facilitating early realization of the symposium. Arar said that the GOT would be holding meetings on planning for its chairmanship which would include scheduling. The next steps for the U.S. proposed environment symposium are to firm up the funding and date and to identify speakers.
Wilson
